TENTH
COMMANDMENT
M.—Repeat the last commandment.
S.—Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor’s.
M.—Seeing that the whole law is spiritual, as you have so often said before, and the above commandments are set down not only to curb outward acts, but also correct the affections of the mind, what more is added here?
S.—The Lord meant to regulate and govern the will and affections by the other commandments, but here he imposes a law even on thoughts which carry some degree of covetousness along with them, and yet come not the length of a fixed purpose.
M.—Do you say that the least degrees of covetousness which creep in upon believers and enter their minds are sins, even though they resist rather than assent?
S.—It is certainly clear that all vitious thoughts, even though consent is not added, proceed from the depravity of our nature. But I only say this-that this commandment condemns vicious desires which tickle and solicit the heart of man, without however drawing him on to a firm and deliberate act of will.
M.—You understand then that the evil affections in which men acquiesce, and by which they allow themselves to be overcome, were prohibited before, but that the thing now required of us is such strict integrity that our hearts are not to admit any perverse desire by which they may be stimulated to sin?
S.—Exactly so.
M.—Can we now frame a short compendium of the whole law?
S.—Very easily, since we can reduce it to two heads. The former is to love God with all our heart, and soul; and strength-the latter, to love our neighbors as ourselves.
M.—What is comprehended under the love of God?
S.—To love him as God should be loved-that is, recognizing him as at once our Lord, and Father, and Preserver. Accordingly, to the love of God is joined reverence for him, a willingness to obey him, trust to be placed in him.
M.—What do you understand by the whole heart, the whole soul, and the whole strength?
S.—Such vehemence of zeal, that there be no place at all in us for any thoughts, desires, or pursuits, adverse to this love.
M.—What is the meaning of the second head?
S.—As we are by nature so prone to love ourselves, that this feeling overcomes all others, so love to our neighbor ought to have such ascendency in us as to govern us in every respect, and be the rule of all our purposes and actions.
M.—What do you understand by the term neighbor?
S.—Not only kindred and friends, or those connected with us by any necessary tie, but also those who are unknown to us, and even enemies.
M.—But what connection have they with us?
S.—They are connected by that tie by which God bound the whole human race together. This tie is sacred and inviolable, and no man’s depravity can abolish it.
M.—You say, then, that if any man hate us, the blame is his own, and yet he is nevertheless our neighbor, and as such is to be regarded by us, because the divine arrangement by which this connection between us was ratified stands inviolable?
S.—It is so.
M.—Seeing that the law of God points out the form of duly worshiping him, must we not live according to its direction?
S.—We must indeed. But we all labor under infirmity, owing to which no man fulfils, in every respect, what he ought.
M.—Why then does God require a perfection which is beyond our ability?
S.—He requires nothing which we are not bound to perform. But provided we strive after that form of living which is here prescribed, although we be wide of the mark, that is, of perfection, the Lord forgives us what is wanting.
M.—Do you speak of all men in general, or of believers only?
S.—He who is not yet regenerated by the Spirit of God, is not fit to begin the least iota of the law. Besides, even were we to grant that any one is found to obey the law in any respect, we do not think that he has performed his part before God. For the law pronounces all cursed who have not fulfilled all the things contained in it. (Deut. xxvii. 26; Gal. iii. 10.)
M.—Hence we must conclude, that as there are two classes of men, so the office of the law is twofold?
S.—Exactly. For among unbelievers it does nothing more than shut them out from all excuse before God. And this is what Paul means when he calls it the ministry of death and condemnation. In regard to believers it has a very different use. (Rom. i. 32; 2 Cor. iii. 6.)
M.—What?
S.—First, while they learn from it that they cannot obtain righteousness by works, they are trained to humility, which is the true preparation for seeking salvation in Christ. Secondly, inasmuch as it requires of them .)
M.—Therefore, although in this earthly pilgrimage we never satisfy the law, we cannot judge that it is superfluous to require this strict perfection from us. For it shows the mark at which we ought to aim, the goal towards which we ought to press, that each of us, according to the measure of grace bestowed upon him, may endeavor to frame his life according to the highest rectitude, and, by constant study, continually advance more and more.
S.—That is my view.
M.—Have we not a perfect rule of righteousness in the law?
S.—So much so, that God wishes nothing else from us than to follow it; and, on the other hand, repudiates and holds void whatever we undertake beyond its prescription. For the only sacrifice which he accepts is obedience. (1 Sam. xv. 22.)
M.—To what end, then, the many admonitions, precepts, exhortations, which both Prophets and Apostles are continually employing? (Jer. vii. 12.)
S.—They are nothing but mere expositions of the law, which lead us by the hand to the obedience of the law, rather than lead us away from it.
M.—But he gives no command concerning the private case of each individual?
S.—When he orders us to render to every one his due, it is obvious to infer what the private part of each is in his own order and condition of life, and expositions of particular precepts, as has been said, he scattered throughout Scripture. For what the Lord has summarily comprised here in a few words, is given with more fulness and detail elsewhere.